To Trust Again
by dawn341
Summary: This is a Highlander Alternate Universe and is the 3rd in a series of 6 stories. It was originally posted on the 7th Dimension website. The general premise of the A.U. is that Richie disappeared during the time Duncan MacLeod was on his island. He shows up 3 years later as a new immortal. Richie learns about the Watchers while Duncan deals with Simon Killian


To Trust Again by Dawn Cunningham

I wrote this story a long time ago. Since the Highlander fanfic archive has disappeared, I'm starting to post my stories on other sites. Disclaimers:

All of the characters mentioned in the story belong to Rysher. I'm just borrowing them and not getting paid for it.

Do not post or publish this story anywhere else, without my express permission. Feel free to share it with others as long as the disclaimers remain intact. Warnings:

This story is an alternate universe. If you don't like those types of stories, start deleting now. This is the third installment in my alternate universe. The first story was 'A New Future' and its sequel was 'A Time To Heal' I strongly suggest that you read those first, but it isn't really necessary. I'll recap the stories for you.

Recap:

In the first story, Duncan had been unable to find Richie when he returned from the island, because of that, the entire future changed. The most important change was that Tessa didn't die. Also, Duncan has yet to meet Methos.

Three years later, Richie showed up at the antique store, a brand-new Immortal. Duncan agreed to train him, but had a hard time relating to his new student. As for Richie, the past three years had been difficult for him, leaving him unwilling to trust anyone. He did agree to follow Duncan's rules, which included staying out of trouble with the law. Broke, and unable to find a job, Richie moved into the antique store with Duncan and Tessa.

Richie eventually ended up working two jobs. One in a warehousing facility and one being a parking valet at a local restaurant. Slowly, his relationship with Duncan and Tessa has grown.

The first story ended on Richie's twenty-first birthday and the second one picks up on the same night. Richie's gifts included a katana that was hand delivered by Connor. Also, Duncan offered Richie a job managing the dojo he had just bought. While Connor was visiting, he took a Dark Quickening and attacked Tessa and Richie. With the help of Jim Coltec, Connor was healed.

* HL * HL * HL * HL * HL * HL

To Trust Again by Dawn Cunningham

Richie Ryan sighed and stood up, stretching tired muscles that protested from the change in position. He carefully examined his work, and decided that it would pass even Duncan MacLeod's strict inspection. Every locker in the room gleamed from his attention. The wooden benches in front of them shone from the fresh coat of lacquer that he'd applied. All the mold and mildew had been removed from the showers, and the new pipes delivered plenty of hot water from the new water heater they had installed a week ago. The only thing left to do in this room was to put down new linoleum, and they were planning on doing that this weekend.

Richie put away his cleaning supplies, then went downstairs to the main floor of the dojo. Duncan had taken possession of the place a month ago, and it seemed like they'd been working non-stop since then. Well, *he* had been working non-stop. Duncan came and went as time permitted - although he had spent a good deal of time here, too.

So far, they'd replaced the wiring, and a good deal of the plumbing for the dojo. They still needed to do the same thing for the apartment on the upper level. Once that was done, and he bought some furniture, Richie could move in. Of course, with his savings account, he wouldn't be able to afford much.

As for the dojo, he still had weeks worth of cleaning to do. While the locker room was pretty much done, he still had to strip the floor of the dojo and refinish it. Duncan was going to show him how to do that next week. There were also window panes to be replaced in the office, and new overhead lights to install. It was hard work, but he was learning a lot in the process. Maybe, some day, he'd be able to afford to buy a house, and fix it up on his own.

Richie glanced at his watch. He still had plenty of time before he had to be home for dinner. He thought about doing a kata, but he and Duncan were coming back tonight to practice. Instead, he decided to take the time to check out a bar nearby. He'd gone home a different way last week and spotted the place. While he didn't want to spend all his hard-earned money drinking, it wouldn't hurt to have a place he could go to occasionally. Hopefully, it would be nice enough that he could even take a date there, although his love life had hit rock bottom ever since he'd become an Immortal.

Things were going to change, though, Richie promised himself. There was more to life than work - even if you were immortal. He'd paid back the loan Duncan had given him when he bought his motorcycle, and was starting to build a small nest egg in the bank. Tessa and Duncan had been overly generous on his birthday, so he had some nice clothes, too. He could start thinking about having some fun, now.

Richie retrieved his motorcycle helmet, coat, and sword, then headed for his bike. It didn't take him long to drive to the bar, and he parked his bike across the street from the entrance. The neon sign out front proclaimed the place to be 'Joe's'. He checked to be sure his sword was secure and well-hidden, then headed inside.

It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. When he could see, he discovered the place was bigger than expected with a small stage at one end. One couple occupied a table in the middle of the room, and there was an older man behind the bar. Other than that, the place was empty. Still, there was something about the place that made Richie think it wasn't normally this empty.

Richie strolled over to the bar and sat down on a stool, placing his helmet on the stool next to him.

"What can I get for you?" the bartender asked, a friendly smile lighting up his face.

"I'll have a beer. What do you have on tap?" The bartender listed off the brands and Richie chose one.

"Need to see some I.D."

Richie sighed, and reached for his wallet. He knew why it was necessary, but had a feeling that proving his age all the time would get to be tiresome. He dug out his license and handed it over.

The bartender looked at it, then gave it back. "One beer coming up. Welcome to Joe's," he added as he passed over a frosty mug.

Richie took a sip and looked around. "Nice place."

"Thanks. By the way, the name's Joe." He held out a hand over the bar.

"Richie," he said, as he shook the hand. "You the owner?"

"Yeah. You from around here?"

Richie nodded. "Well, almost. As soon as the place is ready, I'll be living over on sixth street. I'll be running a dojo there."

"Sounds interesting. Well, let me tell you about Joe's. We serve sandwiches - nothing fancy, but you get your money's worth - between eleven and one. Also, between five and seven. On Fridays and Saturdays we have a live band - blues, usually. And we're closed on Sundays." He pulled out a sheet of paper from under the bar, and passed it over. "Here's the menu, if you're interested."

Richie looked over the list. It had a combination of hot and cold sandwiches as well as several types of appetizers. If the food was any good, he had a feeling he might be eating here a lot. The prices were very reasonable, and there was enough of a selection to keep it from being too boring. He handed the sheet back. "I'll have to give it a try some other time. I'm expected for dinner."

"You do that. Be right back," Joe said when another couple came in and sat down at a table.

For the first time, Richie noticed that Joe walked with an odd gait and used a cane. He wondered why, but didn't want to ask. The man seemed to get around easily enough, so he must have been that way for a long time. It didn't take him long to get the couple's order, pour it out, and serve it.

"Can I get you another one?" Joe asked when he returned to the bar.

Richie shook his head before draining his beer. "Gotta go. It doesn't pay to be late to dinner. I'll be seeing you around, Joe." Grabbing his helmet, he headed home.

* HL * HL * HL

"How about some lunch?" Richie suggested as Duncan put the finishing touches on the linoleum in the locker room.

"What?" Duncan asked absentmindedly, his attention fixed on the floor.

"Lunch - you know... the meal between breakfast and dinner."

Duncan glanced at his watch. "Sounds good, Richie. Where's the lunch bag?" Whenever they planned on spending the day working at the dojo, it was the young man's job to prepare sandwiches and bring them along.

"Uh... I didn't make any today. I found this place nearby that serves sandwiches. I thought we could give it a try."

Duncan smiled at Richie and said, "I guess we could use a treat. Let's get cleaned up, and we'll check out this place."

Richie heaved a sigh of relief, and headed over to one of the sinks. Duncan followed suit, and washed up, too. Actually, going out to eat did sound like a good idea. Richie had been working very hard at his training, and at getting the dojo ready. He deserved to have a little time off.

Duncan stared into the mirror at the reflection of his student. So much had changed since that night Richie had shown up at the antique store. Back then, he'd been angry, distrustful, and a real pain. Since then, he'd almost died at the hand of Connor MacLeod - thanks to a Dark Quickening. Connor hadn't been the only one who'd been helped by Jim Coltec. Richie had been, too. The young man was still slow to trust, but the driving anger seemed to be gone.

Richie had been changing, even before his encounter with the Hayoka, but Duncan had noticed the biggest change in the last six weeks. The young man was quicker to smile and to tease. He'd always been willing to work, but now he seemed to enjoy it more. His sword-fighting skills were growing, too. He was still no match for a highly-experienced Immortal, but he'd be able to hold his own with most others.

Duncan followed Richie's direction to a bar called Joe's. They went inside, and sat down at one of the few unoccupied tables. The young man looked around, then a disappointed look crossed his face.

"I don't see Joe anywhere," he said, picking up two menus from the center of the table and handing one to Duncan. "Joe who?"

"I don't know his last name. He owns the place, and I met him the first time I came in here. He seemed really nice."

"Well, he probably does get some time off," Duncan suggested.

A waiter came over, and they gave him their orders. Duncan had decided on a club sandwich, while Richie ordered a cheeseburger and fries. Richie ended up having to dig out his I.D. to prove he was old enough to drink beer, again.

"So, what do you think of the place?" Richie asked, once the waiter had brought their beers.

"Seems nice enough."

"They have live music on Friday and Saturday, too," Richie said. "Blues. Maybe we could check it out sometime."

"When? You work those nights - remember? Unless you're ready to quit that job?" Duncan wished Richie *would* quit his valet job. There really wasn't any need for him to continue working there. The Scot was already paying him for managing the dojo - even if it wasn't open yet.

Richie's face fell. "Well, you and Tessa could check it out. And I already told you, I won't quit my job until the dojo is ready to open. How much longer do you think it's going to take?"

"Well, it should only take a few more weeks to get the loft ready, then a couple more to finish up the dojo. I'd say you should be able to move in by December, and we can open in January. How does that sound?"

"Great! I can't wait."

Duncan raised one eyebrow. "Sounds like you have some plans," he teased.

"C'mon, Mac! A guy's got to have a little privacy. I mean living with you and Tessa has been great, but the place isn't that big."

"I was just teasing. Ah, here's our food."

The waiter placed their plates on the table, then left. There was little conversation, at first, as they both turned their attention to their sandwiches.

"This is great!" Richie said. "How's yours?"

"Very good. I think you've found a great place, Richie."

"Thanks, Mac. Hey, there's Joe."

Duncan turned around, and looked toward the bar. He recognized the man at once. Turning back to the table, he placed his sandwich down, pulled out his wallet and extracted some money, throwing it on the table. "Let's go, Richie."

The young man turned startled eyes towards the Scot. "What's going on? I'm not done eating yet, and neither are you."

"I've just lost my appetite. I'll explain it to you later. Let's go."

Richie took one last bite, then set the rest of his sandwich down. Reluctantly, he followed Duncan out to the T-bird. "What's wrong?"

"I want you to stay away from this place," Duncan said. "It's not safe."

"Safe? Why not? There weren't any other Immortals around."

"No, there was something worse. Let's go home, and I'll explain it there." Duncan slid in behind the steering wheel, and started the car.

Richie didn't have much choice but to take the passenger seat.

* HL * HL * HL

Richie stopped in the kitchen long enough to grab an apple, then headed for the living room. Duncan was already there, pacing back and forth. "So, what was that all about?" the young man asked, flopping down on the couch.

Duncan sighed. "I recognized the man you called Joe. His full name is Joe Dawson. He's a member of an organization called The Watchers."

Richie waited for more, but when Duncan remained silent, he prompted, "And The Watchers are...?"

"They're an organization that watches Immortals. They're *supposed* to be documenting our lives. I found out about them about two years ago."

"You mean they run around and *spy* on us?" Richie wasn't sure he liked that idea.

"Yes. Unfortunately, they didn't stop there. A group of them decided we were obscenities, and that we needed to be eliminated. They killed a very good friend of mine - on holy ground. Darius was a man of peace. He hadn't even left holy ground for centuries. There was absolutely no reason for them to kill him."

"And Joe was involved? I don't get it - he seemed like a nice guy."

"He wasn't really involved," Duncan admitted, somewhat reluctantly. "It was his brother-in-law, Horton, who lead that group. Dawson was the one who told me about the Watchers after I managed to track Darius' killers back here. Horton came after me twice, and I thought I'd killed him the second time. When I went back to talk to Dawson, they'd closed up shop and moved somewhere else. I was willing to let it go then, but he wouldn't let me."

"What did he do?"

"Dawson came to me for help with an Immortal who was hunting down and killing everyone responsible for sending him to the electric chair. As it turns out, it was a friend of mine who had a split personality. I ended up taking his head."

"That doesn't sound so bad. After all, you're the one who doesn't like Immortals who prey on mortals."

"No, I guess not, but that wasn't all. Another renegade Watcher kidnapped Tessa, and used her as bait to draw me out. I just barely survived that one."

"They went after Tessa?" Now Richie was mad.

"Yes. Then Dawson had the nerve to show up and ask for my help again. This time, it was a mortal who was stirring up trouble down in The Zone, but I still helped them solve the problem."

"I still don't understand, Mac. So far, Joe sounds a lot like you. He obviously doesn't like injustice any more than you do."

"The final straw came when I found out Horton was still alive. He'd hooked up with an Immortal, Xavier St. Cloud, and they were hunting other Immortals. To make it even worse, they were cheating - mortals would kill the Immortal with guns first, then St. Cloud would come along and take their head. Horton was using his connections in the Watchers to get information on Immortals. Dawson *should* have told me that Horton wasn't dead!"

"So where's Horton, now?"

"Dead. Dawson killed him this time - at least I think he did. His body fell into the river, and I don't know if it was ever recovered. I told Dawson to stay away from me after that. I may not be able to keep them from watching us, but I don't have to help them out."

Richie thought about everything Duncan had said. "I guess I kinda understand why you're mad at him. Still, it sounds like he tried to solve the problem. And he might not even be in The Watchers anymore."

"Maybe," Duncan agreed, still obviously reluctant. "I want you to stay away from him - and all Watchers. They're easy to recognize by the trefoil tattoo on their left wrist."

"But wouldn't it be better to be friends with the guy instead of enemies?" Richie asked. "Either way, I don't see any harm in going to the bar for a sandwich or a drink."

"Where there's one Watcher, there's probably more. You don't want to draw attention to yourself. Who knows, one of them may decide to come after you."

"If they were going to do that, I don't think it would matter where I ate and drank. After all, based on what you've told me, they must know everything about me by now."

"Probably. The minute I started training you, they would have tracked down everything they could on you."

"Wouldn't you like to see what they've written about your life?" Richie asked. "I wonder how much they've gotten right. After all, how close can they get?"

"Well, electronic surveillance is quite advanced now, but how they kept tabs on me before that is beyond me."

"Might be interesting to find out." Richie grinned at his teacher.

"Richie! Doesn't it bother you that someone is watching your every move?" Duncan seemed determined to convert his student to his way of thinking.

"I'm not really thrilled about it but, from the sound of it, there's not much we can do to stop them. They must be pretty organized. I'll just have to make sure I pull the window shades down at night."

Duncan shook his head, and finally sat down. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

* HL * HL * HL

It was a slow night at the restaurant. Richie had plenty of time to think between parking and retrieving cars. He found himself constantly looking around, trying to spot anyone watching him.

He really couldn't decide how he felt about the whole concept of Watchers. It was kind of creepy knowing that someone could be out there with binoculars or a telephoto lens watching everything he did. It wasn't like there was anything special about his life. If anything, it was kind of embarrassing to think that some of his less-than-stellar exploits would be documented for future generations to chuckle over.

He wondered if they had documented Connor's Dark Quickening. Had someone been watching them through the windows when the Scot started slapping Tessa around? Or when he'd been slicing up Richie? How could they just stand by and let something like that happen? Okay, maybe he could understand not interfering when two Immortals were fighting, but Tessa wasn't Immortal - they had to know that.

How closely did they watch? Did they know about the nightmares he still had about the Dark Quickening? And how Tessa would stay with him until he calmed down enough to go back to sleep? Did they listen in on their conversations? Were all his private chats with Tessa about *that* day not so private after all?

Richie sighed, knowing he wasn't going to find any answers by himself. He had to talk to Joe Dawson.

* HL * HL * HL

Sunday seemed to drag on forever. Since the bar was closed, Richie couldn't get more answers, and he was eagerly looking forward to Monday. The day followed their normal Sunday pattern. He and Duncan went for a run first thing in the morning. By the time they got back and showered, Tessa had breakfast ready. Afterwards, they read the paper, passing sections back and forth until everyone had finished it all.

Duncan and Tessa took off for an auction after lunch, while Richie tinkered with his bike. He had an early dinner, then headed for work. And all Richie could think about was that someone was watching him and was probably extremely bored!

Duncan came to the dojo with Richie on Monday morning. They practiced their swordwork for an hour before turning their attention to repairs. The Scot showed Richie how to replace the ceiling lights and, when he was satisfied that the young man knew what to do, went back to the antique store. Before starting on the rest of the lights, Richie continued with his own workout, performing a series of exercises and katas.

It took a great deal of willpower for Richie to keep working until he had every light replaced. Only then did he feel justified in heading for the bar. Once again, Joe was behind the counter, but this time the rest of the place was empty. Richie slid onto a stool in front of the Watcher.

"Hey, Richie," Joe greeted him with a smile. "Same as last time?"

"Sure, sounds good." Richie reached for his wallet, and pulled out his ID.

Joe waved it away. "I've seen it once already. No need to show it to me again."

Richie paid for the beer, then took a sip. "You have a good memory."

Joe shrugged. "Comes in handy with the job."

"Which job? Running a bar or being a Watcher?" Richie decided he wasn't going to beat around the bush.

"So MacLeod told you about us."

Richie nodded. "When he saw you in here on Saturday. So, you're still one of *them*?"

Joe held out his left hand, showing the distinctive tattoo on his wrist. "I believe in what we do, Richie. I think it's important that *someone* documents the lives of Immortals."

"Why? What good does it do? It's not like it'll be taught to students in school along with the rest of their history lessons."

"Maybe not now, but who knows what the future will bring? Some day, when the Game is over, we'll be able to see how the winner and all other Immortals have lived their lives. Until then, there are historians studying our Chronicles in the Watcher libraries." Joe shook his head. "It's not easy to explain, Richie. I only know that the Watchers gave me a reason to keep going after I lost my legs. You see an Immortal saved my life, and his Watcher recruited me into the organization. Ever since then, I've been documenting the lives of Immortals."

Joe paused for a moment, scrubbing at an invisible spot on top of the bar. "And maybe we do it for the same reasons people follow the lives of movie and television stars - or any prominent figure. By doing so, we can live their lives vicariously. Knowing everything I can about the Immortal I watch is the closest *I'll* ever get to being Immortal."

"Have you watched a lot of Immortals?"

"No. There were only two others before MacLeod."

"So, you're still watching Mac?" Richie wasn't sure if he liked that.

"Only on an occasional basis. I'm the regional supervisor now, but I still help out when there isn't anyone else available."

"Just how much do you watch? I mean..." Richie stumbled over the words trying to figure out how to ask his question. "How much privacy do you leave us?"

Joe grinned. "You want to know if we peep through keyholes so that we can document all your... romantic liaisons?"

"I haven't had any romantic liaisons," Richie snapped, scowling at the Watcher. "But, yeah, that's what I'm asking."

"Relax, Richie. While we may document who you date and for how long, we don't need to know what goes on behind closed doors. We save our high-tech surveillance gear for more important things - like meetings between two Immortals. As for romantic liaisons, you're still young. You have plenty of time for them."

"Yeah, if I don't lose my head first."

Joe shrugged, but smiled. "Well, there is that."

Richie stared down into his beer while he asked his next question. "Can I read what you've written about me?"

A thoughtful look crossed Joe's face. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Maybe I just want to see if you have everything right."

"You don't sound too sure about that." Joe paused for a moment. "I'll have to think about that one, Richie. Do you have any other questions?"

"Yeah. Are there any more of you killing off Immortals?"

"I hope not!" Joe declared vehemently. "I won't say we didn't have problems, but we think we've cleared out all the bad apples. I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am that Immortals were killed by Watchers - especially since one of them was my brother-in-law."

Richie studied the face in front of him, trying to decide whether Joe was lying or not. "Mac said you hid the fact that Horton was still alive, until he started killing Immortals again."

Joe sighed. "I never told MacLeod that he was dead - although I didn't tell him that James was alive, either. I didn't know what to do. He was married to my sister, for God's sake! I figured he'd learned his lesson, but I was wrong. He went back to his old tricks, except this time he was helping an Immortal track down others. I shot him myself that time."

"Mac said they never found the body."

"No, he must have had on a bullet-proof vest. I didn't kill him."

Richie almost jumped to his feet. "So he's still alive!" he half-yelled.

"Calm down. Horton is dead - and this time there's no mistake. He tried to start up another team to go after Immortals using money he was siphoning off from the Watcher organization. I found out about it and tried to stop him. Horton tried to kill me - I just barely survived. We finally caught up with him and tried him. I was there when they put a bullet in his brain. He won't be killing any more Immortals."

"Good!"

"So, are you willing to believe the Watchers aren't the bad guys?"

"I guess," Richie admitted. "Should I avoid this place because you're a Watcher and I'm an Immortal?"

"I don't see why. We both know what the other one is. And I could always use the business." Joe grinned at the young Immortal.

Richie couldn't help but smile back. Joe seemed like a regular guy and he was starting to like the Watcher.

"Well, I suppose I'd better head home. Thanks for talking to me, Joe."

The Watcher waved a hand in dismissal before turning away.

* HL * HL * HL

The next morning was a repeat of the previous except, this time, Richie's task for the day was to replace the radiators that would be used to heat the dojo. By the time he was finished in the early afternoon, the young man was hot and filthy. He debated for a moment about taking a shower in the locker room before going home, then decided against it. Richie grabbed his backpack and coat, and headed outside.

He was almost halfway down the stairs when he realized the T-bird was still parked in the alley next to the dojo. Richie couldn't feel another Immortal's presence, and began to worry. He quickly examined the car, but there was no sight of Duncan. Unsure of what to do, he started for his bike, then spotted something shining on the ground.

Duncan's keys.

Richie slowly picked them up, scanning the surrounding area carefully. There was no sign of any blood or anything to indicate that a fight had happened. But there wasn't any good reason for the keys to be on the ground. Even if the T-bird had refused to start - which had happened before - Duncan wouldn't have left his keys behind. Besides, he would have come inside and asked to borrow Richie's bike. No, something had happened to Duncan.

Richie glanced at his watch. It had been six hours since Duncan had left the dojo. There were only two possibilities that he could come up with. First, Duncan had gone off to battle another Immortal. But if he'd won the fight, he would have come back to pick up his car. The only other idea he had was that the Watchers were up to their old tricks.

Neither scenario was good. Richie knew he should go home just in case there was another possibility, but he didn't want to worry Tessa. He was worried enough for both of them. His other option was to go see Joe Dawson. He climbed on his bike and headed down the street. For a while, he just drove around, hoping to sense another Immortal, but never did. Finally, he headed for the bar.

A stranger was behind the bar this time. Richie walked over and asked, "Is Joe around? I need to talk to him."

"He's in the back. I'll get him." The man disappeared through a door at the far end of the bar. A few minutes later Joe appeared.

"Hey, Richie. What can I do for you?"

"Do you know where Mac is?" Richie wasted no time.

A surprised look crossed the Watcher's face. "No, can't say that I do. Why? Is he missing?"

"His car is still parked outside the dojo, but he left more than six hours ago. And I found his keys on the ground."

"I'm sorry I can't help you. No one's watching MacLeod today. I had to send his regular Watcher down to Portland. I followed you two to the dojo this morning, but it looked like a pretty normal day so I came back here."

"Damn!" Richie slapped his fist down on the bar.

"If another Immortal did challenge him... and win..." Joe looked shaken at the thought, "then the other Immortal's Watcher will report it soon. I'll let you know if I hear anything."

"And what if it's not another Immortal?" Richie asked heatedly. "What if another Watcher came after him?"

"I'm sure that didn't happen." "It better not, because if it did, I'm going to come back here and tear this place apart. Then I'll tear you apart," Richie threatened before stalking out of the place.

He still couldn't face going home, so Richie returned to the dojo. The T-bird was still parked in the same spot - not surprising, but still disappointing. For the next hour he paced around the dojo, unable to settle down. Finally, he gave up and headed home. He found Tessa in the shop, helping a customer.

She joined him in the office once the customer had left. "So, Duncan decided to play hooky with you," she teased him with a smile. "What was so fascinating at the dojo to keep him there the whole day?"

"You'd better sit down, Tessa."

A panicked look crossed her face. "What's happened? Where's Duncan?"

"I don't know," Richie admitted. "He left the dojo at the normal time this morning, but his car is still parked there."

Tessa slowly sank down onto the desk chair. "There must be a good reason for him to leave it there."

"And we both know what it is." Richie didn't want to put it into words.

"No! I won't believe it! Not yet! He's gone missing before, but he's always managed to come home safely. We can't lose hope - not yet."

Richie sighed. "How can you stand it, Tessa? The not knowing? The waiting? How many times have you done this?"

"More times than I care to remember. It's not easy, Richie."

"Why do you do it?"

Tessa gave him a sad smile. "That's an easy one. I do it because I love him."

"Okay, stupid question. It still seems like a tough way to live."

"No more than for wives of policemen or firemen. Every time there is a fire or a hold-up, they must go through the same thing. We have to trust in the skill of the ones we love."

"I guess. I still think it would take a very special woman to live with an Immortal."

"Thank you, Richie. I hope some day you find one."

Suddenly, Richie felt the touch of another Immortal. "Stay here," he ordered Tessa, pulling his sword. He slowly opened the door to Tessa's workshop, and peered into the room. What he saw brought a smile to his face. "Mac! You're all right!" He hurried across the room, Tessa close behind him.

It wasn't until he got closer that he realized Duncan's clothes were torn and burnt. "What happened to you?"

"Duncan, are you all right?" Tessa asked at the same time.

"I'm fine - just had a run-in with an old enemy."

"I assume he's a head shorter now," Richie said.

"Not exactly. He had a couple of musclemen helping him out. I decided retreat was the best plan."

"Will he be coming after you again?" Tessa asked.

"Probably. And he might try to get to me through you or Richie, so I want both of you to be very careful. Tessa, I don't want you going anywhere without one of us to protect you. And, Richie, if you sense another Immortal, get to holy ground. Understand?"

"Yeah, I understand." Richie couldn't hide his disgust with the instructions. Sooner or later, he'd have to face other Immortals.

"His complaint is with me," Duncan added, emphatically. "I don't want either of you caught in the middle."

"Who is he, Duncan?" Tessa asked.

"His name is Simon Killian. I met him back in World War I. I was there when he received a telegram telling him the war was over, but he still ordered his men into battle leading to the unnecessary deaths of three hundred soldiers. They were going to shoot him in a firing squad for what he'd done, but since he was immortal, I didn't feel that adequate punishment. I convinced them to lock him up, instead."

"And now he wants revenge," Richie added.

Duncan nodded. "He used three mortals to grab me today. There was no warning at all."

"But that's against the rules!" Richie protested.

Duncan shrugged. "Not all Immortals follow the rules. Now, I'm going to go clean up."

* HL * HL * HL

Duncan kept a close watch the next day, even refusing to let Richie go to the dojo. There was no sense in taking unnecessary risks. He did open the shop up, using the day to teach the young Immortal more about using a computer.

On Wednesday morning, Richie insisted on going to the dojo. "Mac, we've been trying to get someone to inspect and repair the elevator for a month now. They're coming today, and if we're not there, who knows how much longer we'll have to wait."

Duncan was reluctant, but Richie did have a good point. Still... "I don't want to leave Tessa alone."

"I will come with you," she suggested. "We can close up the shop for the day. I can help with some of the cleaning."

Three hours later, Duncan couldn't help but grin at the antics of Tessa and Richie. They were cleaning the windows that separated the office from the dojo floor. Tessa was in the office, while Richie cleaned the other side. Somehow, the simple chore had become a game. The young man was determined to follow every move she made. Tessa, on the other hand, was trying to keep him from doing exactly that. She moved her paper towels erratically, trying to fool Richie.

Duncan didn't think that was the most efficient way of cleaning windows, but he wasn't going to complain. In some ways, it was even good training in hand and eye coordination for Richie. And the pair of them were having fun. He turned back to the elevator to supervise the work there.

Once the windows were done, Tessa decided to work on the apartment next. They headed up the stairs, Richie carrying the cleaning supplies. The young man returned ninety minutes later, just as Duncan was showing the repairmen out the door.

"All done?" Richie asked.

"Yes." Duncan waved around the certificate that allowed them to use the elevator. "Signed, sealed and delivered. How's the apartment cleaning going?"

Richie made a face. "I think she's trying to sterilize the place. She made me clean one cupboard three times! I kept telling her it was clean enough, but she didn't think so."

Duncan laughed. "Wait till you see her do spring cleaning. It's a terrifying sight."

"I won't have to worry about that," Richie insisted. "I'll be living here and she'll be cleaning your place."

"I'm sure she'll be more than willing to come over here and help you out," Duncan teased.

"No, thanks!"

Suddenly, Duncan felt the touch of another Immortal. Both he and Richie retrieved their swords. A moment later, Simon Killian walked through the doors at the far end of the dojo. The Scot moved to the middle of the room to meet him.

"I'm glad to see you decided to do this the right way," Duncan greeted him. "Mortals shouldn't be involved in our battles."

"On the contrary, I find them quite useful." Killian snapped his fingers and three men carrying machine guns came through the door.

"This isn't how it's done!" Duncan protested.

"Kill them," Killian ordered. "Kill them both."

Gunfire echoed through the dojo, as well as the sound of shattering glass. Duncan's last thought as he felt the bullets rip through him was to hope that Tessa and Richie survived this.

* HL * HL * HL

With a shudder, Duncan jerked back to life. It took a few moments for the last residue of pain to leave him, then he slowly climbed to his feet. He was in some kind of cell, filled with stacks of boxes, a cot, a sink and a commode. A single light bulb dangled from the ceiling. He tested the door, but it didn't move.

Duncan sighed. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Richie and Tessa. And what Killian was up to. Surely, he couldn't be planning on a fair fight. For starters, his katana was missing. Besides, if he wanted a fair fight, they could have done it in the dojo.

He felt the touch of another Immortal, and a moment later Killian entered the room through a door that looked like it belonged on a bank vault. The other Immortal was carrying Duncan's katana, and gloated for a moment before jamming the sword into the wall.

"How do you feel, MacLeod? Naked? Helpless? Just as I felt when they took my rank and my sword?"

Duncan refused to show his fears. "You deserved it."

"I have dreamed of this day," Killian said, moving closer. "Seventy years they locked me away. So long that no one remembered where I came from or who I was, and all I thought about was you. Get used to your new home, MacLeod. No one's used this brig in forty years and the only one who knows you're down here thinks you're dead."

"So, what's my sentence, Colonel, Sir." Duncan gave Killian a mock salute.

"Fair is fair. I did seventy years, you'll do seventy years." Killian gave a little shrug. "Unless of course, somebody takes my head. Then you'll be here forever."

"Maybe I should take up a hobby," Duncan quipped, trying to hide his growing anxiety.

"There's enough food and water here for the first fifty years. Enough time for everyone you love to die - including that young Immortal who was with you. It's quite sad, actually. He should have picked another teacher. Maybe then he would have lived longer."

Duncan fought down the protest that welled up inside him. Killian was just trying to get to him. Despite his words, he might not have taken Richie's head - although the Scot wondered if they would have left a witness behind. And did he dare ask about Tessa? What would Killian, or his men, do if they knew there was another potential witness at the dojo? He decided to keep quiet.

Killian started to turn away, then paused. "And so you don't think too badly of me, the light bulb is an extended life. It should burn for at least two years."

Duncan couldn't help but glance up at the light for a moment.

"I've heard that the madness comes more slowly in the light," Killian gloated. "And I want you to experience every precious moment as you wait for the darkness to come."

"I guess you didn't leave me anything to read." Duncan threw in one last quip.

"Just the walls and the ceiling," Killian called back before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

With the other Immortal gone, Duncan gave in to his worries for a moment. He had no idea whether Richie was still alive. Even if he was, without a teacher, the young Immortal wouldn't last long. Hopefully, Richie would contact Connor. And Killian was crazy enough that he might have killed Tessa, too. If she *was* alive, how would she handle it if he never got out of here? How long would she keep hoping?

He *had* to get out of here!

* HL * HL * HL

Tessa wasn't sure what the noise was that she heard filtering up through the elevator shaft, but the sound of breaking glass was more obvious. She debated for a moment whether to continue her cleaning or to go investigate. She decided to finish cleaning the refrigerator first.

Finally, her curiosity got the better of her. She tossed the sponge she had been using into her bucket and headed for the stairs. She hoped that Richie hadn't broken any of the windows that they had cleaned earlier in the day. If he had, well, she wouldn't let him forget it!

The sight that greeted her when she entered the dojo almost made her ill. Richie was sprawled near the middle of the floor, blood stains covering his shirt, eyes wide open yet very obviously dead. Another area about four feet from the young Immortal also had blood stains, but these were smeared. Like something - or someone - had been dragged through them. Shattered glass littered the floor near the office, and bullet casings littered the floor near the door.

There was no sign of Duncan, and Tessa frantically searched the building just in case he'd managed to get away. When she couldn't find him, she returned to Richie's side. She stared down at his body, wondering just how long it would take him to heal. The only time she'd seen Duncan come back to life was when he first demonstrated his healing abilities. That hadn't taken long at all. Still, he had only been shot once. Richie had at least a dozen different wounds. She also didn't know if age had anything to do with the speed of recovery.

Tessa started pacing around, fighting to control her anxiety. Who had done this and why? Where was Duncan? He couldn't have gone willingly. There was no way he'd leave Richie while he couldn't defend himself. It had to have been the Immortal that Duncan had been so worried about.

And what did they do now? Sit back and wait to see if Duncan came back? Somehow, that just didn't seem right, especially since the other Immortal was fighting dirty. Still, the Scot had always been very adamant that Tessa stay out of his battles. Maybe she should contact Connor. Maybe he could do something.

A sudden gasp followed by harsh coughing signaled Richie's return from the dead. Tessa hurried to him as he sat up.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Oh, man, that hurt," Richie moaned, rubbing at his chest for a moment. He looked around, then turned worried eyes to Tessa. "Mac?"

She shook her head, struggling to hold back tears. "I don't know. They were gone when I came down here."

"There were four of them - three mortals and Killian. We never stood a chance," Richie said bitterly as he struggled to his feet. "They just mowed us down with their machine guns."

"At least they didn't take you, too" Tessa said, giving him a hug. "I was thinking that we should call Connor. He might be able to find this Killian, and help Duncan."

"I know someone else who might be able to help us," Richie said, his face settling into a grim mask. "And a lot faster than Connor."

"Who?" Tessa didn't have a clue.

"The Watchers." Richie stalked over and picked up his sword before heading for the door. "I'll be back."

"Wait just a minute, Richie Ryan," Tessa ordered. "First off, you need to get a clean shirt before you go talk to them. You should know better than to run around in a bloody shirt by now. And second, I'm coming with you."

"That's not a good idea."

"Why not?" she challenged him.

Richie struggled to find an answer but couldn't. He finally gave up and headed to the locker room. "I keep some clean clothes here. I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, they were on their way to Joe's.

* HL * HL * HL

The lunch crowd had already started to gather at Joe's, and the Watcher was working behind the bar filling drink orders. Richie took Tessa's hand and led the way across the room.

"Richie! Miz Noel! What can I get for you?" Joe asked.

"We need to talk. Somewhere less public," the young Immortal said as he looked around the bar.

Joe stared at him for a moment before saying, "We can use my office." He signaled to another man to take his place, then led the way to a small room at the back of the bar. He closed the door behind them, and motioned his two visitors to chairs on one side of his desk, while he took the one on the other side. "Now then, what can I do for you?"

"Simon Killian. I want to know where I can find him," Richie said, wasting no time.

"Look, I'm not your personal Immortal finder here," Joe protested. "If you want to hunt someone, do it some other way."

"You don't understand," Tessa protested. "He took Duncan."

Joe slowly shook his head. "I can't interfere. This is between two Immortals. One comes back and the other doesn't."

"But he's not playing by the rules!" Richie almost yelled. "He used three mortals and machine guns to kill us before taking Mac."

Joe sighed. "That still doesn't change my rules. Look, even if I wanted to, I can't help you. Until MacLeod's Watcher checks in, I won't know anything anyway. Killian's Watcher doesn't report to me, either, so whoever it is would have to turn in a report before I could find out where they went. By that time, I'm sure it will be too late."

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Tessa asked.

Joe shook his head, again. "I wish I could help you." Regret filled his voice. "MacLeod was an honorable man."

Richie noticed the Watcher was already using the past tense when referring to Duncan. He didn't want to believe it was true, but he couldn't stop thinking that the Highlander might already be dead.

"Let's go, Tessa," Richie said, anger surging through him. "There's nothing more we can accomplish here."

* HL * HL * HL

The ride back to the antique store was made in silence. Richie could tell that Tessa was upset, but he didn't know what to say to make things better. He didn't think uttering some platitude would help any. They both knew the score. Duncan was in the hands of an Immortal who was willing to break the rules. Going to see Joe had been a long shot. They probably wouldn't have been in time, anyway.

They were barely inside the apartment when Tessa announced, "We had better contact Connor."

"Why? We don't know that Mac is dead yet."

Tessa looked him straight into his eyes, a determined look on her face. "I don't want to believe that Duncan is dead, but you are very vulnerable without a more-experienced Immortal to turn to. I don't want to risk losing you, too."

"Can you handle seeing Connor again?" Richie asked, knowing Tessa hadn't seen the older Highlander since he'd been under the influence of a Dark Quickening, and had attacked her.

"You and Duncan say he was healed. If he has been, then I have nothing to fear. The important thing is that you need a teacher. Unless you don't want him as your teacher?"

Richie debated for a moment. Did he want Connor to train him? Did he really trust the Immortal? Was he really over the Dark Quickening? But who else did he know? "I suppose I could try him - if he's willing." He really hadn't thought about that until he said it. What if Connor didn't *want* to train him?

"Well, we won't know if we don't ask him, will we?"

"Do you know how to contact him?

"Yes, Duncan has his number in the office. It's an answering service, but he said it was the best way to contact Connor." She led the way to the office and searched through the rolodex. She plucked a card from it and turned to the phone. It didn't take long to leave a message. "That's all we can do for now," she said, returning the card to its place.

* HL * HL * HL

The rest of the day dragged for Richie. He didn't know what to do with himself with so much time off. Tessa had gone back to her bedroom, and hadn't come out. He figured that she was probably crying, but didn't want him to know about it. It would probably be better if she would come out and be with him, but he respected her choice. He finally ended up in the small exercise room, lifting weights like his life depended on it.

The phone rang several times, but it was never Connor. No, he didn't want to change to a new long-distance phone service. Siding on a brick building - not hardly. He had to choke back his laughter when he was asked to donate to the policemen's association.

Just before dinnertime, Tessa emerged from the bedroom. Her eyes were red, but that was the only sign that she'd been crying.

"How are you doing?" Richie asked awkwardly.

"I'm all right. What do you want for dinner?"

Richie tried to not take offense at her terse reply. He knew she was hurting, but he still wished she wouldn't take it out on him. "I'm not really hungry."

Tessa sighed, and walked over to the refrigerator. She searched through it, then the freezer compartment. "How does spaghetti sound?" she asked as she pulled a container out.

"Fine."

The Frenchwoman busied herself in the kitchen, placing the sauce in a pan to thaw and heat before starting water to cook the spaghetti. Once that was going, she prepared a tossed salad. Richie decided to help by setting the table and went over to the cupboard to get the placemats.

"I can do that myself" Tessa told him firmly, taking the mats from him.

Richie watched for a few moments as she set the table by herself. "You know you're not the only one who's worried," he finally mumbled.

Tessa froze in place for a moment before spinning around to face Richie. He expected her to be angry, but she looked ready to burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Richie. I have been so selfish, haven't I? I should have remembered that you would be upset, too."

The young man shrugged. "I shouldn't have said anything. *I'm* the one being selfish. After all, you've known Mac a lot longer than I have."

Tessa hugged him, and he clung tightly for a moment. "Time has nothing to do with it. I know you care for Duncan. I didn't mean to shut you out this afternoon. I just wanted to be alone for a while."

"Whatever you need, Tessa. I'll do anything you want me to. Just let me know what you want."

"That works both ways. We need to help each other get through this. For now, dinner is almost ready. We need to keep our strength up."

Richie helped Tessa carry the food to the table. He didn't really feel like eating, but he cleaned his plate because that was what Tessa wanted. She, on the other hand, barely touched a bite, spending more time pushing the food around on her plate. He thought about taking her to task, but decided to let it go for now.

They worked together to clean up after dinner, but neither said much. Afterwards, they went into the living room, where Richie started a fire. For a long time, they stayed quiet, just staring at the flames.

"What will you do if Mac doesn't come back?" Richie finally asked, unsure why her answer seemed so important.

"I've thought about this many times," she replied. "I'll probably sell this place - go back to France. I have family there."

"Oh." Richie struggled against the feeling of disappointment and abandonment. She had the right to do whatever she wanted.

She seemed to realize the problem. "I won't go until I'm sure you're settled - with Connor or whoever you end up training with. And you'll always be welcome wherever I end up."

Richie gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Tessa." He'd better start thinking about the future, too. No Duncan would mean no dojo. No new apartment to live in. No job. No money. Of course, if Connor did take him on as a student, he might want to live somewhere else.

The phone rang, and he hurried to answer it. It was Connor.

"What's wrong, Richie?" the Highlander asked. "Has something happened to Duncan?"

"I don't know." Richie quickly explained about Simon Killian and the events of the past few days.

"I'll be there as soon as possible... assuming you want me to come?"

Richie couldn't miss the doubt in the older Immortal's voice. "Yes, we want you to come."

* HL * HL * HL

Joe slowly moved around the bar, turning chairs over and stacking them on the tables. All night, all he'd been able to think about was Duncan MacLeod. The Immortal had seemed unbeatable. It didn't seem right that he would lose his head to someone unwilling to follow the rules.

The bar door opened and he turned around to see who it was. He recognized the man as the Watcher assigned to MacLeod, Jason Andrews. The Watcher was well-seasoned and had been assigned to the Highlander for a year now.

"Hey, Jason. You here to report in?"

"Yeah, and to ask for a new assignment."

Joe sighed, a cold, empty feeling filling him. "You want some coffee?" he asked, trying to hide his sorrow.

"Sure."

Joe walked over to the bar and poured two cups while Jason sat down on a bar stool, placing a paper on the bar. "So, is that the close-out report on MacLeod?"

"MacLeod's not dead," Jason stated. "He's just not going anywhere for a while. It's all in my report."

Joe stared at the other man in disbelief. "What? I don't understand."

Jason quickly explained that Killian had locked MacLeod up in that abandoned airforce base. "I couldn't get too close, but I did hear Killian say he was going to leave MacLeod there for seventy years because that's how long he'd been locked up."

"I see. Well, I guess you'll need someone else to watch. I assume you're willing to relocate, if necessary?" He knew that Jason wasn't married, so he was fairly sure of the answer.

"I'd like someplace a little warmer next time," Jason said with a grin. "I've had it with all this rain."

Joe laughed. "I'll see what I can do. Why don't you take a few days off, and I'll give you a call no later than Friday with your new assignment."

Jason finished his coffee, then took off, leaving Joe staring at the piece of paper on the bar. MacLeod wasn't dead, but he might as well be.

Unless Joe interfered.

It wasn't going to be an easy decision to make. The last time he'd talked to MacLeod, the Immortal had made it quite clear that he wanted to have nothing to do with the Watchers. And Joe'd taken an oath that he wouldn't interfere in Immortal battles.

Still, this really wasn't a battle. And Killian *had* cheated. Was that enough of an excuse to interfere? He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop thinking about the look of despair on Tessa Noel's face. Even Richie Ryan had looked like he'd lost his best friend.

Well, it was too late to do anything about it tonight, at any rate. He'd sleep on it and make up his mind in the morning.

* HL * HL * HL

Richie finally gave up trying to sleep at five in the morning. He'd done nothing but toss and turn all night. He was in the kitchen making coffee when the phone rang. He grabbed it quickly, hoping it hadn't disturbed Tessa's sleep.

"This is Joe Dawson," came across the line. "I have some info for you."

"Yeah, what?" Richie tried not to sound too suspicious - even if he was.

"Not on the phone. Meet me at the dojo in thirty minutes. I'll tell you there."

Richie agreed and hung up. He couldn't help worrying that it might be a trap, but he still had to try. He took a quick shower, then got dressed. Tessa still hadn't emerged from her bedroom, so he left her a note before heading out the door. Since it was raining, he decided to take Tessa's car instead of his bike.

Joe was waiting for him in a parked car. Richie scanned the area, but didn't see anyone else around. Still, he kept a close eye as he approached the Watcher.

"Climb in," Joe said. "I have a lead on where MacLeod is."

Richie felt his mouth drop open. "Then he's not dead?"

"Not according to his Watcher. Let's go before someone sees us."

Richie climbed into the passenger seat, and Joe wasted no time starting the car. As they drove, the Watcher explained about the abandoned base.

"I can't believe Killian didn't take his head," Richie said when Joe finished.

"He's looking for revenge. Because of MacLeod, Killian was locked up for seventy years. Now, he wants to do the same to MacLeod."

"Why did you decide to tell me this? I thought you weren't supposed to interfere."

Joe threw him a grin. "Well, I figured some rules were made to be broken. MacLeod is too good to leave locked up for that long."

Once they got to the abandoned fort, it took a while to find the room where Duncan was being held prisoner. Only the fact that Richie could sense the Scot let them know they'd found the place.

Richie stared at the door in dismay. "How are we supposed to get that open?"

Joe scratched his head. "I don't know. You're the one who used to break into places."

"I picked a few locks! That's a lot different than this." He waved at the vault door. "I did have a little practice with small safes, but this isn't the same thing. Besides, I need to have something like a stethoscope to listen with."

"Got one of those in my car," Joe said. "Hey, sometimes it helps to play doctor when one of you guys die in a public place. Thankfully, I've never had to use that scenario with MacLeod." he added when Richie threw him a disbelieving stare.

"Whatever. I'll go get it - it won't take me long."

"It's in the trunk. There's a black bag - bring the whole thing." Joe passed over his car keys.

Richie took off at a run, not wanting to waste any more time. Soon, he was back. For almost an hour, he struggled with the lock before he heard the click he was searching for. A moment later, he swung the door open.

"My first bank vault," Richie almost crowed. He looked into the dark room, trying to see where Duncan was.

A movement from across the room caught his eye at the same time he heard his name called.

"Mac? Are you all right?" Richie asked as he hurried over to the cell. He pulled out his own lockpick and started trying to open the door.

"How'd you find me?" Duncan asked.

"I had a little help." Richie waved behind him to the doorway where Joe was standing.

"Hello, MacLeod."

"I thought we agreed to stay out of each other's way," Duncan said.

Joe shrugged. "We can always throw you back if you want."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "How's Tessa?" he asked Richie.

"Missing you." With a wide grin, he swung the door open. "Time to go home."

"I'll give you a lift," Joe offered. "Unless you'd prefer to find your own way?"

"Thanks, Joe," Richie said, when Duncan kept quiet. He couldn't understand the Scot. He hadn't even thanked Joe for his help.

The ride back was silent. Richie couldn't figure out what to say to break the tension in the car. He almost heaved a sigh of relief when Joe pulled up next to the dojo. Duncan climbed out of the car without saying a word.

Richie refused to follow his example. "Thanks, Joe. I really owe you one."

"Don't worry about it, Richie. I'm glad I could help."

Duncan was already behind the wheel of Tessa's car, and Richie joined him. "I can't believe you," the young man said in disgust. "Joe helped me rescue you, and you can't even be bothered to thank him. He didn't have to do it, you know?"

"He shouldn't have done it," Duncan insisted.

Richie sighed, and let the subject drop. Once they were back at the antique store, he hurried out of the car and inside.

Tessa was waiting for him in the kitchen. "Richie, where have you been? Why did you go off alone like that? Killian could have been waiting for you."

"I had something to retrieve," Richie said, fighting to hide his grin. He pointed back over his shoulder. "Check it out."

Tessa moved over to peer around him. "Duncan!" she cried out as she ran towards her lover. The couple met in the middle of her workshop and hugged tightly. Richie headed for the living room, to give them a little privacy.

* HL * HL * HL

Richie slouched down on the couch after Duncan and Tessa had disappeared toward their bedroom. He yawned, and let his eyes shut for a moment. He'd just rest a few minutes, then get up and eat some breakfast. The next thing he became aware of was someone pounding on the back door. He glanced at the clock on his way to answer it, and was shocked to see it was almost noon.

He'd just reached the stairs leading down to the workshop when he sensed another Immortal. Richie debated with himself for several moments. He could either check it out on his own or he could get Duncan. The other Immortal could be Connor or it could be Killian. He finally decided to handle it, and retrieved his sword.

Richie cautiously approached the back door, almost jumping when the pounding started again. He quietly unlocked the door, then eased it open. The last thing he expected to see was Connor with his own sword drawn. For a moment, he could barely breathe as he remembered the Scot's attack while he'd been under the influence of the Dark Quickening. Then Connor smiled, and put his sword back into his coat.

"I was starting to worry," Connor started. "I thought maybe Killian had come after you. Can I come in?" he asked when Richie didn't move.

"Huh?" Richie struggled with his memories for a moment, then realized that he was still blocking the door and holding his katana. "Sure, come on in. Uh... sorry about the sword."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Connor lectured. "You had no idea who was on the other side of that door. I'd have been very disappointed if you'd opened it without being ready to protect yourself."

Connor's words made Richie feel less sheepish about the sword. He led the way into the living room, struggling to hide the nervousness he felt about having the Scot behind him where he couldn't see what he was doing. Despite his best efforts, he kept waiting for a sword to plunge through him.

Before Richie had a chance to explain about Duncan being saved, the younger Highlander came hurrying down the hallway, wearing a pair of sweatpants, and carrying his sword.

"Connor!"

"Duncan!"

The young man couldn't decide whose face look more stunned as the two clansmen stared at each other. Eventually, they both realized that they *weren't* seeing things and moved to hug each other.

"What are you doing here?" Duncan asked.

"Richie and Tessa called me. They seemed to think you were in trouble."

Duncan beamed at his student. "I'm glad they did. I was a little worried that they wouldn't do that. However, I don't need rescuing anymore."

"So I can see. I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting story."

A robe-clad Tessa peered around the corner of the hallway, and Duncan motioned for her to join them. Richie could feel the tension rise as she and Connor saw each other for the first time since his attack.

"Tessa... I am so-" Connor's voice cracked, and he paused for a moment. "I am so sorry for what I did to you. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me. I deserve no less."

Tessa came forward and gave Connor a quick hug. "You deserve no such thing. It wasn't you who attacked me - it was someone else. I don't hate you at all."

"Thank you, Tessa. You are very generous. Duncan has all the luck when it comes to women."

Duncan placed an arm around his lover's waist, pulling her against him. "Yes, I do, don't I?" he answered smugly. "Why don't you and Richie have a chat while we get dressed. He can explain what happened."

Richie and Connor settled down on the couch, and the young Immortal explained what had happened. Duncan and Tessa joined them as he was finishing up.

"So, what are you going to do about Killian?" Connor asked. "You *are* going to do something about him, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'll handle him. I'm going to pay a little visit to Gleason's bar. One of the mortals who work for Killian hangs out there. He's about to see a dead man come back to life. The way I figure it, he'll hurry back and report to Killian."

"And Killian will go back to the airforce base and find you missing," Richie chimed in.

"That's right. And I'll be waiting for him - just not inside that cage of his. Connor, I'd like you to keep an eye on Richie and Tessa while I'm gone."

"Maybe Connor should go with you," Tessa suggested, a worried look on her face. "In case Killian tries something else."

"No, I don't want to risk scaring Killian off. Don't worry, Tessa."

"I always worry," she replied with a small smile.

* HL * HL * HL

Duncan's plan worked exactly as he wanted. Killian wasted no time in checking out the cell once he learned that the Scot had supposedly come back to life. This time they did battle as two Immortals should, and Killian lost his head.

When he returned to the antique store, he felt the touch of other Immortals only moments before hearing the sounds of swords clanging against each other.

"Not again," Duncan almost moaned, as he thought about the day he'd come back to find Richie and Connor fighting. He'd been so certain that his clansman was over the Dark Quickening! Otherwise, he would have never left him behind with Tessa and Richie.

Hurrying inside, Duncan found his worst fears had come true. Connor and Richie were fighting in the middle of Tessa's workshop. He drew his own katana, ready to step in and keep Connor from taking Richie's head. Screw the rules about interfering when two Immortals fought!

A moment later, the young Immortal's sword went flying out of his hand. Duncan started towards Connor, but became confused when the older Scot backed away from Richie instead of following up the disarming with a deadly blow.

"Damn!" Richie muttered as he stalked over and picked up his katana. "How do you keep doing that? Hey, Mac, did you take care of Killian? And why do you have your katana out?"

Duncan could only stare, dumbfounded at Connor and Richie. His former teacher caught on first.

"Duncan thought I'd gone after you again," Connor said, sadness filling his voice. He turned away and picked up a rag to wipe down his sword.

For the first time, Duncan realized that it wasn't Connor's normal katana. Instead, it was one of the swords that he kept around for his occasional sparring with some of his mortal friends who were into martial arts. The blade was so dull, it couldn't have sliced butter.

"We were just practicing," Richie explained, looking back and forth between the two Highlanders. "Connor got tired of me pacing around, so he suggested we spar. I didn't think about how it would look if you came back while we were doing it."

Duncan put his katana away, and walked over to his clansman. "I'm sorry, Connor. I should have known better."

Connor shrugged. "It takes a long time to build up trust again. I don't blame you."

"I *do* trust you," Duncan insisted. "I just wasn't thinking. I saw the two of you fighting and... well, I jumped to the wrong conclusion. Did you manage to teach Richie anything new?"

"Yeah. Fifty ways to lose my sword," Richie complained. "And here I thought I knew them all already."

"Well, have him teach you how to hold onto it, then. I'm going to go let Tessa know I'm back." Duncan headed into the living area of the apartment. Behind him, he could hear Connor start lecturing.

Tessa was sitting on the couch, staring into the fireplace. She jumped up and ran to him when she heard him come in the door. They hugged for a moment before returning to the couch.

"It's over," Duncan said. "We won't be bothered by Killian anymore."

"It may be awful of me to say so, but I'm glad he's dead. And we owe it all to Joe Dawson. If it hadn't been for him..." Tessa shook her head, and shuddered. "I might have never seen you again."

Duncan really didn't want to be reminded of Dawson's part in his rescue. He had conflicting feelings about the whole thing. He was glad to be out of his prison, but he didn't want to be grateful to a Watcher!

"I want to go thank him tomorrow," Tessa added. "Richie said that he already did, but I want to do it, too. It must have been very hard for him to break his rules. I hope he doesn't get in trouble for it."

"I'll take you to see him," Duncan promised. Maybe it was time for him to have a little chat with his Watcher.

"Did you see Connor and Richie sparring? Isn't it wonderful? I was a little worried when Connor first suggested it, and I don't think Richie was exactly thrilled about it, either. But Connor suggested using your practice sword and even gave me his katana." She pointed to the coffee table where the sword was. "I watched them for a while, but I finally came back in here."

Duncan looked at Connor's sword for several moments before he realized how he could prove his trust of his former teacher. "I'll be right back," he said, standing up. He picked up the katana and carried it out to the workshop.

Connor was demonstrating a move, and Duncan walked over to him. He plucked the practice sword from his hands and passed over the katana. "Use this one," he offered.

Connor stared at him for a moment, then raised a questioning eyebrow toward Richie. The young Immortal never hesitated, he nodded, and moved back into position. Duncan watched the two spar for a few moments before returning to Tessa.

* HL * HL * HL

Connor showed up early the next morning and picked up Richie. They were going to the dojo to start on the cleanup efforts. Duncan promised to join them later - after his trip to Joe's.

He and Tessa left for the bar around ten o'clock. He wanted a chance to talk to Dawson without anyone else being around. Of course, there always was the chance that the Watcher wouldn't be there that early. It was a chance they would have to take.

They got lucky - the door was open and Joe was on stage, alone, playing his guitar. They listened in the shadows, and Duncan couldn't help but be moved by the bittersweet music. When the man finished, they moved out into the light. Joe noticed them, and put down his guitar.

"You are very good," Tessa said. "Maybe you should give up being a Watcher and be a musician instead."

Joe grinned. "I discovered a way I can do both at the same time. Besides, if I hadn't been a Watcher, MacLeod would still be on the missing list."

"Yes, and I'd like to thank you for helping us." Tessa moved over and kissed Joe on the cheek.

"You're very welcome," Joe replied, blushing lightly.

"Will you get in trouble for this?" Tessa asked.

"In trouble for what?" Joe gave them a rakish grin. "Imagine my surprise when I went over to check out what Ryan - I gotta assign that kid a Watcher soon - and Miz Noel were doing with no MacLeod around, and, lo and behold, there's Duncan MacLeod, himself! I came right back here and called your Watcher and told him to get back to work. Then I checked with Killian's Watcher, who is equally confused, but she decided that you had a lockpick on you, and got out of your cage on your own. She's on her way back to London to do a close-out report on Killian. We may never know the truth about what really happened."

Duncan had to grin at the resourcefulness of the Watcher. "Of course, if you were friends with a certain Immortal, you might eventually find out the truth."

"True, true. Maybe I should suggest that to my superiors - for the sake of the Chronicles, of course."

"Of course. Wouldn't want to have any gaps or misinformation in those."

"And there won't be - in my personal journals. They'll be turned over to the Watcher organization when I die. That way, the truth will be known."

Duncan, somewhat reluctantly, found himself admiring the Watcher. Joe Dawson was standing by his principals of documenting the lives of Immortals. He recalled Richie's words about the Watcher being like himself, and realized how right the young man had been. Just last night, he had been willing to break his own rules by interfering in a fight between Connor and Richie. It didn't matter that his interference hadn't been needed - he had been ready to break the rules because it had been the right thing to do.

Joe Dawson had just done the same thing. He'd broken the Watcher code because he'd felt it was the right thing to do. Maybe it was time to see if a Watcher and Immortal could be friends.

Duncan held out his hand. "Thank you, Joe."

The Watcher shook his hand. "You're welcome, MacLeod." He waved to the bar. "Can I get you a cup of coffee or something?"

"No, thanks. We have a dojo to clean up."

Joe stared down at the floor for a moment, then looked up. "If you want, I can tell Richie he's not welcome here."

Duncan looked around, then shrugged. "Seems like a nice place. Good food. Good atmosphere. Good music. Good people. I think he'll like it here. See you around, Joe."

Without waiting for a reply, Duncan took Tessa's hand and headed for the door. They were almost there when Joe called out his reply.

"Remember, we have a live band on Friday and Saturday night. Come see us sometime."

Duncan knew it was the closest they would get to actually saying the words. Watcher and Immortal were on their way to becoming friends.

For now, though, he had a dojo to work on.

The end.


End file.
